Connector assembly for a panel mounting system

Abstract

A customizable panel mount receptacle includes an insulator body and a contact assembly. The insulator body includes a tubular flanged element, a contact retention ring and an insulator cover over-molded on the tubular flanged element. The contact retention ring is coaxially received within the tubular flanged element and includes a plurality of apertures and a first set of engaging elements. The contact assembly includes a conductive contact and contact retention pins and a second set of engaging elements configured on conductive contact. The conductive contact is removably and co-axially received inside the male insulator body. The contact retention pins engage with the apertures configured on the contact retention ring and the second set of engaging elements engage with the first set of engaging elements for facilitating interchangeable connections between different configurations of the male insulator body and the male contact assembly to reduce inventory.

We claim: 
     
       1. A customizable panel mount male receptacle comprising:
 a male insulator body comprising: 
 a tubular flanged element; 
 a contact retention ring co-axially received within said tubular flanged element and comprising a plurality of apertures and a first set of engaging elements configured thereon; and 
 a male insulator cover over-molded on said tubular flanged element; 
 a male contact assembly comprising: 
 a conductive male contact pin adapted to be removably and co-axially received inside said male insulator body; and
 a plurality of contact retention pins and a second set of engaging elements configured on said conductive male contact pin, wherein said contact retention pins are adapted to engage with said apertures configured on said contact retention ring and said second set of engaging elements are adapted to engage with said first set of engaging elements to facilitate interchangeable connection between different configurations of male insulator body and male contact assembly, wherein interchangeable connections between different configurations of said male insulator cover of male insulator body and said conductive male contact pin of said male contact assembly facilitates customization of said panel mount male receptacle based on requirement to reduce inventory. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The customizable panel mount male receptacle as claimed in  claim 1  is adapted to be mounted on a power side of a circuit and adapted to be releasably connected to a cable mounted female plug assembly on a machine side. 
     
     
       3. The customizable panel mount male receptacle as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said first set of engaging elements are receiving slots configured on inside surface of said contact retention ring of said male insulator body and said second set engaging elements are contact retention spring elements configured on contact retention spring mounted on said conductive male contact pin, wherein said contact retention spring elements are adapted to engage with said receiving slots. 
     
     
       4. The customizable panel mount male receptacle as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said first set of engaging elements are U-slots configured on said contact retention ring of said male insulator body and said second set of engaging elements are spring biased pins configured on said conductive male contact pin, wherein said spring biased pins are adapted to engage with said U-slots. 
     
     
       5. The customizable panel mount male receptacle as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said first set of engaging elements are first set of guide-ways configured on said contact retention ring of said male insulator body and said second set of engaging elements are second set of guide-ways configured on said conductive male contact pin that are complimentary to and adapted to engage with said first set of guide ways. 
     
     
       6. A customizable panel mount female receptacle comprising:
 a female insulator body comprising:
 a tubular flanged element; 
 a contact retention ring co-axially received within said tubular flanged element and comprising a plurality of apertures and a first set of engaging elements configured thereon; and 
 a female insulator cover over-molded on said tubular flanged element; 
 a female contact assembly comprising: 
 a conductive female sleeve contact adapted to be removably and co-axially received inside said female insulator body; and 
 a plurality of contact retention pins and a second set of engaging elements configured on said conductive female contact sleeve, wherein said contact retention pins are adapted to engage with said apertures configured on said contact retention ring and said second set of engaging elements are adapted to engage with said first set of engaging elements to facilitate interchangeable connection between different configurations of female insulator body and female contact assembly, 
 wherein interchangeable connections between different configurations of said female insulator cover of said female insulator body and said conductive female contact sleeve of said female contact assembly facilitate customization of said panel mount female receptacle based on requirement to reduce inventory. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The customizable panel mount female receptacle as claimed in  claim 6  is adapted to be mounted on a power side of a circuit and adapted to be releasably connected to a cable mounted male plug assembly on a machine side. 
     
     
       8. The customizable female panel mount receptacle as claimed in  claim 6  is mounted on either one of machine and motor side of the circuit for connection to cable mounted male plug assembly. 
     
     
       9. The customizable panel mount female receptacle as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said first set of engaging elements are receiving slots configured on inside surface of said contact retention ring of said female insulator body and said second set of engaging elements are contact retention spring elements configured on contact retention spring mounted on said conductive female contact sleeve, wherein said contact retention spring elements are adapted to engage with said receiving slots.